How to Speak Czech: Five Tips for Your Next Trip to Prague

Sure, you'll meet people who speak English in Prague. But learning a few Czech words and grammar tips can deepen your experience in town, no translator required.

Sure, you'll meet people in Prague who speak English. But learning a few words of Czech—and understanding the history behind the language—can help deepen your experience in the country and teach you about the local culture. Here are a five quick tips:

Czech, a Slavonic language, is related to Slovak.

The letter “č” is pronounced “ch.” For example, the word for informally saying goodbye to someone is čau, pronounced “chow” (or, ciao!)

Czechs love diminutives (suffixes that make a noun smaller, such as the "-ette" part of kitchenette). Common additions include "-ečko" or "-íčko," as in “pivečko.” This would be the diminutive of the word beer ("pivo") which is somehow used even when ordering a large pint.

The Czech National Revival of the 18th and 19th centuries promoted the native language and arts as a way to reclaim heritage, especially because many people in the country spoke German at the time. Leopold II even approved the creation of a chair of Czech language and literature at a local university. It was this person’s job to demonstrate that Czech had once been a language of high culture.

Fun fact: Franz Kafka was born in Prague, but German was his first language—a sure product of his time. Even so, he almost certainly was also fluent in Czech.